


Mating Rituals

by eerian_sadow



Category: Final Fantasy IV
Genre: F/M, giftfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-28
Updated: 2007-12-28
Packaged: 2017-12-04 21:48:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/715462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>nothing to say about it really, except that i just couldn't ditch the idea of Rydia stealing Kain's ale and drinking it.  thus this fic was born.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Mating Rituals

**Author's Note:**

> nothing to say about it really, except that i just couldn't ditch the idea of Rydia stealing Kain's ale and drinking it. thus this fic was born.

here's giftfic number four, for [](http://katmillia.livejournal.com/profile)[**katmillia**](http://katmillia.livejournal.com/). getting her to tell me what she wanted was like pulling teeth, but her requested kain/rydia fic was easy to write.

Title: Mating Rituals  
Universe: Final Fantasy IV  
Pairing: Kain/Rydia  
Warnings: alcohol use, het, fluff  
Rating: G  
Notes: nothing to say about it really, except that i just couldn't ditch the idea of Rydia stealing Kain's ale and drinking it. thus this fic was born.

  
Looking at her now, after the months of traveling and fighting they had done, Kain Highwind found it hard to reconcile the strong woman Rydia of Mist was now with the scared, hurt child she had been when they first met. She had grown so much, physically and mentally, that he was constantly amazed.

Certain facets of human behavior, however, continued to elude her. Pick-up lines, for example.

“ _Why_ won’t he leave me alone?” she asked, dropping don into the chair across the table from him.

Kain blinked at her in surprise. He hadn’t even known Rydia was in the tavern with him. “Edge again?”

“Yes!” She blew out an exasperated sigh. “He keeps saying things like ‘hey, baby, you wanna come over to my place?’ or ‘a hot chick would look great with a hot guy like me” and then he proceeds to try and take me to dinner. Or worse.”

Kain had to hide his smile at the familiar rant by taking a drink of his ale. When he felt he could control his expression, the Dragoon lowered his mug. “Well, he has just become king of Eblan. I’m sure he’s getting a lot of pressure to find a wife right now.”

“But why me?” Rydia pouted. She reached out, took his ale mug from him, and took a swallow. “I don’t even like him.”

Kain raised an eyebrow at her action as she put the mug back down. “Well, you do seem to be the only woman he knows who is unmarried and of age.”

“He’s a king,” Rydia muttered. “I’m sure there’s any number of women who would fall at his feet out there.”

This time he let her see his smile. “But are they all going to be exotic green-haired Summoners?”

“Are you saying he only likes me because I’m a Summoner?” Rydia looked angry at the prospect.

“I’m saying he’s coming on so strong because you’re not the kind of woman he’s used to. You’re making the girls in Eblan look boring.”

“The girls in Eblan are boring.” The Summoner sighed again. “So, how do I convince him I’m not interested?”

“Since turning him down isn’t working?” Kain was thoughtful for a moment. “You could always try seeing someone else.”

“Seeing someone?” She was puzzled.

“Letting another man court you.” At her continued confused expression, he clarified. “Letting someone else try to…woo you into mating.”

“Oh!” Rydia looked down at her hands as a blush spread across her cheeks. “Just when I think I have everything figured out finally.”

“Well, we didn’t discuss such things when we were traveling.” Kain shrugged and took a drink of his ale. “Its still your most likely chance of getting him to leave you alone.”

“I don’t even know how to…be seeing someone.” The Summoner took his mug from him again, draining the last of the ale from it.

With an amused smile, he signaled the tavern wench to bring another. “I’m sure it won’t be hard to find someone who wants to court you. You’re young, attractive—“

“Exotic?”

The Dragoon nodded reluctantly. “Yes, a bit.”

“But I don’t want to be with the kind of man who only wants me because I’m different!” Rydia seemed ready to cry.

Kain gave her a long look, not quite sure what he should say. Finally, he asked, “Then what do you want in a man?”

She was quiet for a moment before replying. “I want someone who’s strong and smart and who isn’t afraid of my monsters. And he has to be easy to talk to and actually _listen_ to what I’m saying.”

The both reached for the ale mug when the wench set it down. Their fingers met around the handle and Kain felt an almost electric shock run up his arm. Rydia’s green eyes met his almost hesitantly. The Dragoon smiled softly at the Summoner.

“Maybe he needs to be willing to let you steal his ale, too.”

“Maybe he does,” she replied. With a smile of her own, she leaned across the table and kissed him.

They broke apart, giggling, at the sound of a breaking glass and Edge swearing.  



End file.
